“Thank you,” Rowan gulped back tears, desperately relieved they were letting her go. “I would never ask for you guys to keep anything from your husbands, but would you mind asking them not to mention my leaving to…to their father?”
“Of course. Bran will not offer the information.”
“Patrick tells, he dies.”
Christ, poor Patrick, Rowan thought with an inner laugh. The first real humor she’d felt in weeks. She’d miss her sisters. She’d miss her nephew. She’d miss Dublin and Triskelion.
She would miss Hugh.
4
Patrick, River, Bran, Raven, and little Daniel were making a day of looking over the new property. Hugh and his sons had bought the bankrupt distillery that Patrick had found. His youngest son had been working on this particular deal for several months, and it was now theirs.
Only thirty minutes outside of Dublin, the vast acreage had the potential for more ventures besides making good whiskey. His daughters-in-law mentioned that it could easily become a wedding destination or a high-end corporate weekend retreat. He adjusted his grandson, Daniel, in his arms. The little guy had fallen asleep during the initial walk-through and hadn’t stirred since.
Rowan hadn’t come. He was disappointed but not surprised that she’d opted out of participating in the outing. She opted out of every occasion Hugh was a part of. He hadn’t seen even a glimpse of Rowan since Bébhinn and Devlen’s wedding reception. Rowan had moved into Bébhinn’s place once they left for their honeymoon until she found her own place. That was the last bit of information he’d been given.
That was almost four weeks ago.
Hugh wasn’t a fool. She was avoiding him, and it was killing him. He wanted to ask his boys what she’d been up to, but his damnable pride forced his silence. He just pretended every day that he didn’t notice her absence. That he didn’t care.
He’d been desperate for even a crumb of information, but it was like his boys and Rowan’s sisters had made a pact to pretend Rowan didn’t exist. Raven and River did not smile as often as they used to. They didn’t seem as happy. Hugh was devastated because he couldn’t deny that he was the root cause of everyone’s discontent. He was only shocked his sons hadn’t asked him to leave town.
Hugh sighed. He was flying to Tulsa as soon as they got back to Dublin. Bobby was already at the airport readying the jet and locking in their flight plan. He needed to give his family a break and hopefully allow Rowan to enjoy her family again. He spoke with his mother every day, and she mentioned last week that she and Diana, his mother’s best friend and all-around wealthy busybody, were returning to Oklahoma. She’d been home for a few days now. It would be less uncomfortable if he used his mom as an excuse when he told Bran and Patrick. They would believe he wanted to make sure their grandmother had settled back in, and he did want to check on the Muskogee compound.
His mother mentioned that she was excited to get home and check in with her house guest. Hugh hadn’t known she’d allowed someone to live in her apartment while she’d been traveling. When he asked who, she got flustered and said they’d been taking care of things for her, promptly changing the subject to complaining about Diana swimming nude the night before. Hugh couldn’t hang up fast enough, which, thinking about it now, must have been his mother’s intention. He’d get to the bottom of his mother’s evasions soon enough.
Rowan. His thoughts always came back to her. He was desperate and so damn lonely. Even when he just watched her,there was a small amount of comfort knowing she was at least close. Now, it was silent. He felt cold, directionless, rudderless. One missed turn, and he might lose himself. He’d already lost his way. Even during family excursions like this one, everything felt wrong. Rowan was the missing link, and yet he couldn’t fathom how they could ever fit together again.
He’d considered giving in to what they both wanted at least a thousand times every day—and then he would remember the sole reason he’d pushed her out of his life. When Rowan was thirty, Hugh would be fifty-nine, forty to sixty-nine, and the rest…it didn’t even bear considering.
She would regret it. She would regret him. Eventually.
Rowan’s complete absence, however, was intolerable. Daniel stretched, his long legs pushed against Hugh’s forearm. Hugh absently kissed the babe’s head, where only the barest of white hair covered his scalp. Raven lied to herself daily about how her son’s hair was getting so long. Hugh chose not to enlighten her. The boys barely had two strands to rub together until they were at least eighteen months. God, but Daniel looked the spitting image of Bran and Patrick. Hugh couldn’t say he missed his children being this age because, honestly, he cherished every age, including now.
His boys had made him a better man when they’d been born, and they still made him a better man thirty years later. Love did that to a person.
Hugh had decided not to tell the kids that he was leaving in a few hours. He’d already written an email explaining his plans and itinerary. It would be auto-delivered to them both tomorrow morning. The four of them, and probably Rowan since he wasn’t going, were meeting Saoirse Kennedy and her fiancé, Timothy Daniels tonight for dinner, which was when he planned on leaving.
Hugh never regretted investing in Tim’s construction company. The man did excellent work on the O Building, as everyone called the damn building that housed their apartments. Tim would be heading up the facelift on the distillery and all the other buildings that would be added as well.
Raven’s assistant and part-time nanny, Bre, was watching Daniel tonight, so Hugh knew they’d stay out much later than normal. He had a driver scheduled to take him to the airport at seven. He’d sleep on the plane and be in Tulsa around one in the morning with the time difference. He planned on going to his hotel penthouse so he could visit his mother for a few days before heading on to Muskogee.
Pulling Daniel just a little tighter to his chest, he breathed through his emotions. He hated leaving his family while so many amazing changes were taking place. He hated missing a single moment, but he’d created this mess with Rowan. This divide. He needed to fix it.
Hugh had hoped to catch even a glimpse of Row before he left town. It wasn’t to be.
5
Boys-
I’ll be in Oklahoma for the foreseeable future. Flew out last night. I want to check on Mom and spend some time at our Muskogee property. I’ve accepted several invitations to golf tournaments and a four-day hunt at a lodge in Kansas.
I scheduled a meeting for you boys next week with Tay Withe. He’s been a master distiller for thirty years. If you think he’s as talented as his resume suggests, you two might want to take him out to see the site. Keep me in the loop. See attachment.
*Consider the name Three Wolves for the whiskey.
I would like to see a presentation on potential builds for the property. Give Triskelion four weeks to submit their ideas. I will sign off on whatever you two decide. Raven and River had several suggestions yesterday that held promise. Once the initial plans are given a green light, send to Daniels for quoting. He needs to see the property as well. He may have ideas of his own.
